Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate how brand identity expressional elements in cosmetic road shops' facades would affect the brand awareness of consumers while extracting those brand identity expressional elements observed in the facades of the cosmetic road shops. In order to achieve the research goal, the study used Q methodology, a method to measure subjectivity. The results have been summarized as follows. (1) The elements to express the brand identity found in the facades of the cosmetic road shops were observed to be two-dimensional expressional elements, and they should include a symbol, a logo, a signboard, materials to express an image (products, models) and a brand color. As for the three-dimensional expressional elements, they were a building (form, materials, pattern), decorations (lean-to roof, canopy, sculptures, lighting, screen) and a display window (focusing on products, visuality or the inside of a shop). (2) The findings of the analyses on the brand awareness using Q methodology have been presented as follows. (1) When multiple identity expressional elements which would be associated with each other are used, the brand awareness gets increased relatively efficiently. (2) In case of men, they would perceive a brand more easily through those formative expressional elements such as a form of a building. (3) In case of women, they would perceive a brand more conveniently through those visual expressional elements such as a brand color. (3) In conclusion, the study figured out that, among the brand identity expressional elements, the one which would influence the brand awareness most would be (1) the brand color, followed by (2) the building-form, (3) the lean-to roof, (4) the display window and (5) the logo. Based upon what has been learned so far, the study confirmed that when it comes to securing the brand awareness in the market, cosmetic companies should, first, realize how important it is to make good use of the two-dimensional (visual) expressional element, the brand color, and the three-dimensional expressional element, the form of the building, together before they even try to design facades of their shops on the streets.
